Anthrax vaccinations

[Magda Hassan]

Look what I found on the net by some bloke called David Guyatt :wavey:
Looks like some one has been using chemical and biological weapons indiscriminately.



OPERATION BLACK DOG
The Gulf war story no one will publish
By David Guyatt

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source "B" was shaken but not stirred when we first
met. The odour of fear and uncertainty was palpable
- a fact that was no surprise in view of what I was
about to be told. This wasn't my first 007 Bond-like
covert rendezvous, but it would certainly be my most
startling. We had agreed to meet in order that the
source could tell me about a highly secret and even
more highly sensitive US operation known as "Black
Dog." Neither of us trusted electronic communication
and, therefore, a face-to-face meeting was essential.

It was a sunny day and our encounter was in a seamy
pub somewhere in the countryside of England. I had
watched my back the entire journey - just in case.
The meeting followed a story I had written on Gulf
War Illness, when I had cautiously been told about
a top secret US mission known as "Black Cat." This,
I was told, involved a "black" US B52 bomber launching
from Offut AFB in Nebraksa, and flying a round-trip
to the Persian Gulf.

The hulking bomber carried one bomb packed with
VX nerve agent, the most potent chemical weapon
in the US CW armoury. The bomb was dropped on
elements of the Republican Guard in Southern Iraq,
I was informed. Heavy casualties apparently resulted.
The operation, directed by the Central Intelligence
Agency, was a counter-strike, following an Iraqi Scud
that fell on Israel. The missile had contained Sarin and
drove the Israeli government almost apoplectic
with rage. Fuming, the Israeli's had readied to
detonate a nuclear warhead high above Baghdad.
Only the swift intervention of President George
Bush forestalled what would have been a cataclysmic
move destined to unravel the carefully wrought Arab
backed Coalition lined-up against Iraqi dictator
Saddam Hussein.

To avoid any of the nerve agent being blown back
towards coalition troops, the mission involved the
launch, from Dhahran of a C130 Hercules carrying
one, possibly two, massive five ton Fuel Air bombs.
These were detonated above ground zero - the
location of the VX chemical agent strike - to ensure
all traces of the nerve agent were destroyed. Quite
possibly, the Fuel Air Device destroyed all evidence
of the illegal counter-strike too, by incinerating bodies.
Cleansing by fire is as old as warfare itself.

This information led me to speak to various sources
as I searched for corroboration. I was advised to
contact Jim Sebastian, former BBC correspondent
and well-known author. During a brief telephone call,
Sebastian confirmed he also had the same information
as I, as recommended I contact the Countess of Mar
- a House of Lords representative with a special
interest in Gulf War issues. I met Margaret Mar one
evening in late summer 1997. A charming and honest
individual, she confirmed she had taken Sebastian's
information to the Ministry of Defence in private.
They later informed her that following consultation
with the US Department of Defense officials, no
record of the mission had been found. Clearly this
was no denial.

Moreover, their explanation didn't gel in other
significant ways. The official who responded to
the MOD enquiry was Bernard Rostker, the Special
Assistant for Gulf War Illness. Hardly, I thought,
the person one would expect to be privy to top
secret information on a sensitive CIA operation.
Besides, I was to later learn that Black Cat almost
certainly was subject to a "compartmented" mission
name. This simply means that at different levels of
the command structure the mission would have been
assigned a different name. This nifty device - not
dissimilar from Admiral Horatio Nelson holding a
telescope to his blind-eye and observing he "sees no
ships," - caters nicely to instant deniability, but also
helps to identify the level that leaks originate from.
Clever. In any event, months later, in December 1997,
Tim Sebastian told me that he had fully corroborated
Black Cat during a month-long trip to the USA. This
was good news but not surprising.

In any event, Source B was concerned not with Black
Cat - which I learned he knew about in some detail - but
a second, far more sensitive mission known as "Black
Dog." This mission had occurred around 25 February 1991
and involved Biological weapons, I was told. Specifically
the weapon was a bacterium that resulted in those
contaminated drowning in their own bodily fluids. Black
Dog involved an aircraft launched from a US carrier in the
Red Sea that was targeted on an Iraqi CB weapons plant.
The bomb was designed to spread its load via an aerosol
spray. Source B provided additional information that
cannot be revealed for fear of identifying the individual
and other sources.

My first meeting with Lady Mar was predominantly to
discuss this second mission. Both she and Tim Sebastian
were aware of a second mission that they both knew as
"Black Cat 11," but possessed no details. I was not
surprised. Some weeks earlier I had contacted a senior
US journalist, asking if he would collaborate on my
story. I gave him a brief outline of Black Cat, hoping
he may stumble on to Black Dog, too. He did, or at least
got details of a mission remarkably similar.

Months of investigation resulted in the development
of the following mission details:

Original source (B) states that Black Dog entailed the
launch of a US Navy warplane from a US Carrier on
station in the Red Sea. The source remains unable to
identify which of two carriers the aircraft launched
from (both the USS Saratoga and the USS Kennedy
were on station in the Red Sea during this time-frame:
24/25 February 1991). Nor is source able to provide
exact date of this mission. The source further stated
that aircrew and ground-crew were CIA.

The source continued by stating that the aircraft
dropped biological warfare munition(s) on an Iraqi
chemical/biological weapons factory and that numerous
deaths resulted. Source states the munition (s) contained
a bacteriological agent with a life of no more than
48 hours. The bacterium was not communicable, and
had no given name, only a batch number. Those
attacked with this weapon drowned in their own
bodily fluids, according to the source, who added
that the bio-bomb was parachute deployed and its
contents dispersed by aerosol spray.

US Sources state that a US Navy S3A Viking aircraft
crash landed (presumably as a result of ground fire)
behind enemy lines prior to the commencement of the
ground war. It is unknown if the aircraft was outward
bound on its mission or homebound afterwards. In any
event, the spectre of a US "sanitised" aircraft heavily
armed with chemical and possibly biological weapons,
over-flying hostile territory during time of war logically
excludes the possibility this was a training or any other
"innocent" mission.

The Viking is used in a long-range recconassaince/anti-
submarine warfare role. It is thus only lightly armed for
defence. In this instance, however, sources say the
aircraft was heavily modified with stealth capabilities
and was coloured a flat dark grey. The aircraft had no
markings, insignia or other identification. Instrumentation
was United States manufacture. Bombs were externally
attached to wing pylons. The procedure of using unmarked
military aircraft (known as "sanitised" i.e., plausible
deniability) is known to be consistent with numerous
other CIA "black" operations that have reached the
public domain.

Sources additionally confirm the mission was conducted
under the auspices of the Central Intelligence Agency
and that the pilot was an Agency employee (presumably
a "sheep-dipped" USN pilot). The aircraft carried, we
are told, only two bombs due to "weight considerations."
The downed aircraft had one remaining bomb attached
to external pylons. This munition contained a deadly
mixture of Tabun, Sarin and Cyclo-Sarin. However,
US sources are unable to identify a target or confirm
whether this aircraft launched from a USN carrier
- giving rise to understandable caution that this was
one and the same mission - although the mission
profile is similar.

Meanwhile, US sources confirm that the crash site
was approximately 60 kilometres behind enemy
lines (exact co-ordinates 45.90E - 29.73N) - in a
barren wilderness. There the aircraft remained for
several days. In the interim, the pilot, who did not
eject but came down with his aircraft, was
recovered alive.

Following the launch of the Ground War (24 February
1991), US and French divisions swept Iraqi forces
away from the general area (As Salman), thereby
permitting intact recovery of the aircraft. Consequently,
a US two man Black Ops "Search Team" were
dispatched from Camp Four, in Saudi Arabia
(co-ordinates 44.30E-29.00N) to locate the crashed
aircraft and provide exact co-ordinates for recovery.

Camp Four was a large sprawling complex that
housed mostly US forces, but some British elements
too. It was a jump off point for the US 101 Airborne
(Screaming Eagles) into Iraq on the night of 23/24
February 1991. The complex was extensively used
to house and repair a variety of equipment.

The two man search team travelled North, into Iraq,
by Jeep on or about 27/28 February 1991. Sources
state the aircraft crashed approximately one week earlier
and that the delay in commencing search and recovery
operations was due to the imminent commencement of
the ground war. Neither members of the two man search
team were US Government employees. In fact, a private
US company, almost certainly a CIA proprietary,
employed both. Both individuals wore battle-dress
but no insignia or other identifying patches - a fact that
is again consistent with CIA black operations. An independent
British military source has confirmed the presence
at Camp Four, of a two man US "Spec Ops" team,
in late February 1991. Source stated they were US
SpecOps, no insignia or rank apparent and provided
a physical description of one individual.

Some distance into Iraq, heading due north along
the 45.90 East Latitude co-ordinate the search team
observed the downed aircraft from a distance, we are
told. Inspection via binoculars showed the right wing of
the aircraft to be missing. The left wing was intact. Further
observation revealed the presence of one remaining
bomb located on the external pylon closest to the fuselage.
The bomb was coloured a matt black with no visible
marking. It was leaking.

Both team members donned CB protective equipment,
we are informed, and approached. The bomb contained
a German manufactured fuse designed to ignite the
munition above ground. It was identified as a Mark
Eleven Seven munition (MC 117) modified for liquid
chemical usage and comprised of a steel body with a
Mark 131 fin assembly and Central Bursting Tube -
according to information made available.

A chemical weapons test with a field test kit (designated
"Mary 256") was conducted and revealed the munition
to contain a mixture of Tabun, Sarin and Cyclo-Sarin.
It must be stressed that a chemical weapon field test kit
would not, repeat not, be capable of detecting the presence
of any biological weapon whatsoever. Field detection of
biological organisms/bacterium is considerably more complex
and requires specialist personnel and equipment. This point
is stressed for obvious reasons. The presence of a
bacterium as outlined by primary source is neither
corroborated, nor ruled out, by these discoveries.
However, it is significant that prevailing NATO and
Soviet doctrine in the use of biological and chemical
weapons, called the use of a "mixed load" - that is to
say, munitions would typically carry a varied mixture
of inter-acting chemical and biological agents/organisms.

The search team reported their discovery to base, and
was ordered to withdraw immediately. Prior to departing
the crash site, both team members were puzzled by
the presence of a number of dead Iraqi soldiers. All wore
face masks (possibly CB protective gear, but may also
have been protection against wind-borne sand) and
showed no apparent entry wounds or other manifestations
of their fatalities. Both team members were said to be
sufficiently perplexed by these bodies to take colour
photographs of them, we were informed. These
photographs and other details were later forwarded
to a United Nations source for investigation.

Having left the crash site, the search team were replaced
by a US Navy affiliated "Recovery Team." The latter
team recovered the aircraft. The bomb was recovered
and transported elsewhere. The damaged aircraft was
airlifted - presumably by a Jolly Green Giant helicopter
- back to Camp Four and temporarily housed in a
compound surrounded with barbed wire. Here, a number
of individuals managed to photograph the damaged aircraft
on site. Copies of these and other supporting data were
privately forwarded to the United Nations for investigation.
Meanwhile, other military sources confirm the presence
of the barbed wire compound at that location.

The two man Black Ops (search) team were in the
Gulf acting under Army Command. Their mission, and,
we are told, that of the latter recovery team, was conducted
under the orders of General Fred Franks, commander of
V11 Corps - the single largest unit in the Gulf war. Both
the "Search" and "Recovery" teams formed part of a
Special Unit with the designation "SCRSWA" operated
under the direct command of Colonel Johnson (attached
to AVSCOM - Aviation System Command, US Army).
This unit has not been identified, despite a telephone
call to the Pentagon library. A Pentagon employee told
this writer, with a nervous laugh, that the unit designation
is unknown. According to sources, there was a British
involvement. This has yet to be identified and confirmed,
but it thought possible the bacteriological weapon may
have been of British manufacture. In any event, the
remaining munition was placed in the custody of Colonel
Johnson, sources say. Both members of the search team
were specialists in placing, concealing and camouflaging
surveillance devices, we were told. These included placing
aircraft laser targeting packages.

In November 1997, at my request, the Countess
of Mar, in the company of the former Foreign
Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Howe,
met with a senior Ministry of Defence official to
discuss Operation Black Dog. The meeting was
acrimonious. The result was that the MOD official
could neither confirm nor deny the operation but,
personally doubted the possibility that a Viking
aircraft would be cast in such a role. If this remains
the official's only qualitative doubt, I have some
advice for him.

A phone call to the premier and highly respected
publication, Janes Defence Weekly, will be rewarded
with an informative discussion about the aircraft's
capability and the US Navy's "Gung Ho" attitude
when it comes to "black" operations. One of Jane's
expert journalists told me - months prior to the MOD
meeting - that there is nothing theoretically to stop a
Viking from flying a mission as outlined. The journalist
went on to describe other missions even more
"apparently" unlikely, including the launch of U2
"spy-planes" from US Navy carriers - amongst
other facts.

It remains to be stated that I was advised - from
entirely unrelated sources and, in fact, an entirely
unrelated story - that a special CIA team of flyers
was stationed at Offut AFB during the Gulf war. One
of these, a former Navy pilot, and senior team member,
is alleged to have been posted to a US aircraft carrier
to assume temporary duty (TDY) as Commander Air
Group (CAG) during the same time-frame. For a
variety of reasons, I now nurture some suspicions
that this later information may have been artfully "planted"
as disinformation in order to discredit this story. The
identity of the senior team member, employed by the
CIA and ONI, is known to me, as is his background,
and somewhat adds to my concerns. However, I
cannot rule out the possibility that this additional
information might have reached my attention innocently
and coincidentally and, could be accurate?

As our investigation of this story continued, we learned
of a possible reason for Black Dog. In later February
1991, an Iraqi Scud had landed in Israel. Sources
were able to confirm that the missile contained biological
organisms that were "dead on arrival." Whether the
organisms were meant to be dead or not wasn't clear,
but Iraqi in-expertise in these matters is well-known.
This clearly, in the light of the prevailing logic of Black
Cat, to be sufficient reason to authorise Black Dog,
I believe.

The foregoing, it must be said, is powerful evidence
that the US may have engaged in at least two chemical
and biological warfare missions during the Gulf war. It
is not, however, proof positive. Caution is understandably
a key-word amongst the journalistic fraternity. At the same
time outside and perverse influence to "spike" or otherwise
discredit highly sensitive news stories is increasingly a fact-
of-life. Those who might doubt that the media could be so
easily seduced need only focus their attention on the
consequences of the Gary Webb/San Jose Mercury
News "Dark Alliance Series," to witness media timidity.

Having personally worked on the foregoing story for
almost nine months, and witnessed numerous editors,
journalists and other media representatives shy-away
from it for no good reason, I am inclined to conclude
that this is one of those stories destined never to reach
the light of day.

The hell with that.


http://www.ainfos.ca/98/mar/ainfos00310.html